If you are an assured or assured shorthold tenant it can deal with some rent increases

Excessive rent charges, providing you are in the first six months of an assured shorthold tenancy

A fair rent determination (if you are a regulated tenant) decided by a rent officer

You can only apply to the tribunal if you have an assured or assured shorthold tenancy and where your rent has been increased as part of a ‘section 13 procedure’ - the letter from your landlord will say if it has, and will tell you more about applying to a tribunal. An application to take the matter to the tribunal must be made before the new rent is due to start. The notice will set out the proposed new rent and the start date of when the rent increase will take effect. You will normally have one month to appeal to the tribunal if you don't accept the proposed increase.

Regulated tenants

If your private tenancy started before 15 January 1989 you are likely to be a regulated tenant. If you have a regulated tenancy you or your landlord can apply for a fair rent to be set by a rent officer at the Valuation Office Agency.

Once a fair rent has been registered:

You cannot be charged more than the fair rent

The decision cannot usually be reconsidered for a period of two years

Either you or your landlord can object to the fair rent assessment by writing to the rent officer within 28 days of the decision being made. The rent officer will refer the case to the tribunal to decide the fair rent.

Lodgers

If you are a lodger, your landlord can only charge you the market rent. Your landlord is not allowed to increase your rent during a fixed-term agreement unless there is a clause in your agreement that states the rent can be increased.

If your landlord has not given you a fixed-term agreement, there are no rules limiting the amount they can increase your rent.The only option in this situation is to try and negotiate a lower increase with your landlord.

Benefits

You may be entitled to claim housing benefit or universal credit to help you with your housing costs. Visit the www.turn2us.org.uk benefit calculator to check your entitlement.

An increase in your rent will be considered a change in your circumstances. Therefore if you are already claiming one of these benefits.

Report your rent to:

the housing benefit department, at your local authority, if you are claiming housing benefit